Improvement in clover-harvesters



M. GARRETSON.

Clover Harvester.

Patented'lanz 6, 1852.

No. 8,62a.

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Iig. 5.

N PETERS Prwwumvgnpner. wnhingmn. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MA'HLON GAERETsoN, or BEEMUDIAN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN moves-HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 8,628, dated January 6, 1852.

To all whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, MAnLoN GARRETsoN, of Bermudian, in the county of Adams and State of Pennsylvania,vhave invented a new and useful Improvement in the Machine for Cutting and Gathering Glover-Heads; and I do hereby declare'the following to be a full and clear description thereof, refere'nccbeing had to the annexed drawings of the same, forming part ot this specification.

Figure lis a vertical longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view, showing a series ot' triangular projecting cutters, and the manner of ysecuring the same to the door of the machine. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the triangular cutters. Fig. 4 is an inverse perspective view of Fig. 3, showing more clearly the lateral trapezoidal projection, forming a cutter at right angles to the projectingcutter. Fig. 5 is a cross-section showing the form of the triangular cutter.

Where the same letters of reference occur on the several figures they indicate the sameparts.

The nature of my invention consists in the manner of confining the series of triangularformed cutters to the frontward portion of the Hoor-namely, reducing the under side of the shank of each cutter, and forming theieon angular shoulders for fitting into the groove with which they conform, and'reducing the upper side of said shanks at the ends thereof, so as to form right-angled shoulders, which conform to a grooved holding-bar placed over the said reduced ends and forming a counterlock with the angular shoulders, by which each cutter is retained firmly in a horizontal position; and, in connection with the above, providing the shanks of the triangular cutters with a horizontal transverse rod, having its ends (which project'beyond the sides ofthe frame) furnished with short tubes, the inner ends whereof are made to press against the sides of the Shanks by means of crank-nuts on the ends 'of said rod, whereby the triangular projecting cutters are susceptible of lateral adjustment to increase or diminish the space between the cutting-ed ges thereof, according to the'thickness ofthe blocks placed between their shanks, as represented in Fig. 2; and by means of the aforesaid transverse rod the projecting cutters are prevented from having any froutward movement.

My improvement also consists in'providing the shanks of each cutter with lateralv projections of a trapezoidalshape, the upper front corners whereofformin g right-angled cutters to the triangular projecting cutters, said lateral projections matching or interlocking with corresponding recesses in the Lipper portion of the adjacent Shanks.4 The object of these lateral cutters is to sever the stems or stalks (by the right-angled plates of the endless revolving band) not cut by their passage between the projecting cutters.

A is the body ofthe machine, formingthe receiver for the eut clover-heads. B lis one of the propelling and supporting wheels. Gis the cylinder-axle ot' Vthe supporting-wheels. D D are the triangular projecting cutters, each having its three sides the segment of a circle of the same radius, and its upper opposing edges made sharp and actingas cutters, as shown in Fig. 5. cutter D are united at the point, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, thus offering no resistance to the stalks of clover. These triangular projecting cutters D are arranged upon an elevated portion of the door A parallel to each other, and are of any required length, so that as the machine is movedforward the stalks of clover are received between the cutting-edges thereof and the heads severed therefrom and thrown into the receiver. The manner of confining these triangular projecting cutters D is: as follows: The shank E oi' each cutter is reduced on its under side about two-thirds the length thereof so as to form an angular shoulder, F, which conforms to a groove, G, made in the edge of the elevated portion of the door A', (see Fig. 2,) and the upper side of the-end thereof is reduced so as to form a rightangled shoulder, H, which conforms to a groovedholdingbar,'` I, placed over said reduced ends and secured by screw-bolts, thus securely retaining the triangular projecting cutters D in a horizontal position, and at the same time allowing for lateral adjustment thereto when required. From one side ot' each cutter-shank E extends horizontally a trapezoidal-shaped projection, J, Figs. 3 and 4, the upper front corner thereof forming a. ri ght-an gled cutter to the projecting cutter D, and in the same horizontal plane with the latter. The side of each adjacent shank E'is also' provided with a recess, k, corresponding to the lateral projection J into which the latter matches, said lateral projections forming (when the projecting cut- The three edges of each ters are properly adjusted) a transverse cutting-bar, J, far more eii'ectually severing the heads of clover from the stems by means of right-angled plates projecting from an endless revolving band. The larger' portion of the shanks E of each cutter are provided with holes through which passes a horizontal transverse rod, K, whose ends project beyond the sides of the frame and are furnished with tubes L, the inner ends whereof being made to press against the sides of the shanks E by the action thereon of cranknuts M, placed on the screw ends ot' said rod K and turned to the right, by which the projecting cutters are made to approach eachother laterally, accordn g to the size of the blocks Z placed between their shanks, and thus decrease the space between the projecting cutters; and'in the same manner the spaces between the cutters may be increased, it' desirable', by turning the crank-nuts M to the left and inserting be tween the Shanks larger blocks of wood Z. (See Fig. 2.) The central cutter, D2, Fig. 2, is permanentlylscrewed to the tioor A', so that the cutters on either side thereof may lhave lateral adjustment.

Mounted upon theframe A, in frontot' the axle-cylinder O and above the points ot' the projecting cutters, is another cylinder, N, around which and the axle-cylinder passes a broad band, O,provided with a series ot' right-angled projecting plates, P, situated relatively to the projecting cutters, so as to pass (withthe rotation of the band) over the edges ot' the projecting cutters, and thus aid in severing the heads of the clover frorn'the stems, and serve to sharpen the adjacent edges of the cutters and keep them clear during'the progress of the machine. Y, f The'journal-boxes of vthe axle-cylinder C and front cylinder, N, (which may be ot' anyl required diameter,) may be made adjustable byr any convenient meanssuch as screwboltsby which the` endless band O, with its right-angled severing yand clearing plates P, may be properly adjusted in relation to the projecting cutters.

Q is a roller mounted between the cylinders C N upon two studs, R, renderedadjustable by wedges s, for the purposes of keeping the revolving band O taut, thus rendering the action pf the right-angled plates P alike during their passage over the projecting cutters.

Siy is al transverse bar, from whichv project lingers or arms T in such a manner as to prevent the ascent of the cut heads of clover with the right-angled plates during the rotation of the band.

In order to adapt the points of the cutters to take oftl the heads ofthe clover at varying heights from the'surfaceof the ground, there is attached to the under side-of the rear portion of the frame a sled, U. From the real end thereof projects the fulcrum-post V of a handlever,'W, attached to a post, X, projecting from the frame, by which the angle of the cutters witha horizontal plane is changed. When the cutters are brought to the required anglethe rear portion of the frame may be sustained in any convenientmanner.

Having thus ldescribed my improvements in the clover-head harvester, what I claim there'- in as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The lateral projections J, whose ends are f1tted into .the mortises or recesses k in the Shanks?rl of the cutters D, and whose upper front edges are made sharp, said projections serving thev twofold purposes of interlocking with the contiguous cutters and acting as cutters themselves, as described, for severing theheads from the stalks.

lIn testimony whereof Ihave hereunto signed fmy name before two subscribing witnesses.

l MAHLON GARRETSON.

Witnesses Joan F. CLARK, ABEL N. RUSSELL. 

